The Legend of Zelda: What Comes After - The Final Tale of The Hero of Time

Chapter V: An Old Friend

I took a deep breath of the fresh Hyrule Field air as Epona and I finally made it out of the forest. The sun shined bright as I could see Hyrule Castle Town in the distance. 

"Halt." I said. 

Epona then slowed down and came to a stop. 

I didn't exactly have a plan for what I was going to do, but, fortunately, everything looked the way it should; no burning buildings, towns in rubble, or massive towers that seemed to appear from nowhere. Although I assumed everything was fine because the forest had been, it felt good to get a confirmation. I guess that meant the the royal family had succeeded in imprisoning and disposing of Ganondorf. In the other time, Castletown had long been under Ganondorf's reign by now. So, because everything looked the way it should, I decided I would first stop by Epona's old home: Lon Lon Ranch. 

As I thought about how I had grown throughout the time I had been gone, I began to wonder if Malon had too. Over the time Epona and I were in Termina, I noticed she had seemed to get a lot bigger, she looked more grown up. Not quite fully grown, but almost there. 

"Kind of like me." I thought to myself. 

I mean, it was true, I had grown a good amount since I last visited Hyrule. Hopefully Malon would still recognize me. 

"Up!" I said to Epona as I lightly tapped her mane, signaling her to trot forward to Lon Lon Ranch. 

I began to get a little bit nervous. Would she remember me? What would she think when she saw me? I quickly got rid of those thoughts. There was no way Malon was going to forget about me... at least I hoped. 

...

It was late in the afternoon when Epona and I finally arrived at Lon Lon Ranch. By now, the sun was setting over the small hamlet, turning the sky a bright red. 

The second we got up the hill and into the ranch, I was greeted by a few men who I assumed were farm hands. Of course, they didn't recognize me, so I just said I was a friend of the Lon's when they asked. Once I made my way to the horse track, I could see Malon on the other side. This was around the time where she would make sure every animal was fed and hydrated, or at least that's what I remembered. She was facing the opposite direction, looking into the chicken pen, so I dropped my gear and tied up Epona quickly. I nervously walked around the race track and walked quietly to where Malon was. I could see her kneeling down, feeding the cuccos and giving them water. I wasn't sure how to approach her, however, so I just stood there, waiting for her to turn around. 

A moment or two passed before Malon felt my gaze from behind her. The second she turned around, she froze as my eyes met hers. Of course, I was right. She had grown up, just as I had.

"No... way." She said softly, slowly covering her mouth. 

I smiled. "It's good to see you." 

Without another word, she walked towards me and held me tight in her embrace. My ribs felt like they were about to crack as she wrapped her arms around me. I couldn't help but return the embrace she had given me. 

"I was beginning to think you were never coming back." She said sadly. She instantly buried her head into my chest, and a nostalgic feeling hit me. 

"It's okay. I'm here now." I said as I continued to hold her tight. 

Malon then looked up at me, and her eyes met mine again. I noticed in that moment that her red hair that flowed down her back had matched the color of the sailor's sunset. Her blue eyes complemented her tan skin as her familiar gaze stared into my eyes. The gaze I had longed for so long was finally in my grasp once more.